Push button door lock



Nov. 29, 1955 f` R. T. PslK i PUSH BUTTON DOOR LOCK Filed June 29, 1951 Gttornegs Ufitein'l PUSH BUTTON' DOOR LOCK Robert'T. Psik, Inkster, Mich., assignor to GeneraliMotors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Delaware* This invention relates to a push button door lock, and more particularly to a key actuated push button doorlock for an automobile or other vehicle.

One feature of the invention is that it provides an improved push button door lock; another feature of the invention is that it provides a push button door lock having a push button assembly with a latch actuating projection which is rotatable between locked and unlocked terminal` positions, in combination with means for blocking unlatching movement of said projection when inlocked'position;.,a further feature of the invention is that the rotatableilatch actuating projection has a portion which is noncircular in transverse section, and an abutment member is provided having an aperture conforming thereto in shape and positioned to permit longitudinal movement of the projection therethrough when the projection is in unlocked position and to block such longitudinal movement when the projection is in locked position; still another feature of the invention is that the push button assembly is non-rotatably mounted in a bore of the door lock body member, said actuating projection being rotatable by means of a key operated lock in the push button assembly; yet a further feature of the invention is that the apertured abutment member is non-rotatably mounted' while the latch actuating projection is rotatable relative thereto; and' yet another feature of the invention is that the latch actuating projection maybe formed with opposite radially extending wings providing a shoulder atthe end thereof. adapted to abut said apertured member when said projection is in locked position.

Further features and. advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description and from the drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a section through an automobile door panel having the improved door lock mounted thereon, portions of the door lock being broken away and the lock being shown in unlocked position; Fig. 2' is a view similar to Fig. 1 and partly in section, the lock. being shown in locked position; Fig. 3 is a fragmentary View of the lock takenl along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;. Fig. 4 is a section taken along the line 4 4' of Fig. l; and Fig. 5 is a View similar to Fig. 4, but with the parts shown in locked position corresponding to the position of Fig. 2.

The illustrated embodiment of the invention provides an improved and simplified push button doorv lock including a handle member having a gripping portion adapted. to be iixedly mounted on a door, and a body portion extending through the door panel and having. a bore in which a push button assembly is slidably but non-rotatably mounted. The push button has a key-receiving opening at one end, and has a latch actuating projection at the other end extending longitudinally in the bore and formed with opposite radially extending wings providing a shoulder at their ends. A key operated lock is carried in the push button assembly for rotating the latch actuating projection through an arc between locked and unlocked terminal positions, and a non-rotatably mounted abutment member in the bore has an elongated aperture conforming in shape States Patent" ICC 2 to the winged portion of said projection to permit'longitudinal movement of said projection through the' abutment member' when .the projection is rotated to its unlocked'position, and to block'such longitudinal'movement when said projection 'is rotated to its locked position.

Referring now moreparticularly to the drawingsth.e

outer door panel 10l of an automobile or other vehicle has the improved lock mountedl thereon, machine screws 9 extending through the panelv from the inside thereof. and beingthreadedintoopenings in a handle member de"- signated generally at 1'1 in Fig. 1 and having a gripping portion 1'2v and a body portion 13.

The body portion 13, which preferably is integral with the gripping portion 12, is formed with a bore 17' extending completely therethrough. A push buttonV assembly designated generally at 20 in Figs. l andZ isislidably, but non-rotatably mounted in the bore 17, the push button assembly having-peripheral lugs 21 and 22 which slide in longitudinally extending notches 23 and 24 in the4 outer walls of said bore to prevent rotation of the push button assembly.

The push button assembly includes a finger actuated portionZSy whichprojects outwardly from the body 13 of the handle-member and which is provided at its outer end' with an opening (not shown) for receiving a key 27, which key operates a lock mounted in the push button assembly..

Thislock is indicated' in Fig. l at 28 and is not shown in detail, since it is of conventionalY construction.

The innerA portion 28a of thek lock has extending therefrom a latch actuating projection 30 which has a portion spaced 'from its end and formed with opposite radially extending wings 30ak and 3:(lb, these. wings providing a shoulder at their outer ends. The end' portion 30C of the latchy actuating projection 30 preferably is circular in transverse section, this portion being adapted to operate a latch releasing member 3l'. This member may be part of a conventional latch mechanism which is not shown.

A cup-shaped member 32' is seated on a shoulder near the end of the lock cylinder 2S and seats one end of a compression' spring 34, the other end of they spring engaging an inverted cup-shapedl abutmentv member 3S which has portions 35a andl 35h of i-ts periphery struck outwardly toy engage in the notches 23' and 24 to hold the member 35 against rotation. A split ringv 36 in a peripheral groove in the bore 17 holds the abutment member 35 and the spring 34 in position in said bore. The abutment mem ber 35 is provided with a central aperture havingy a circular center portion 39 conforming generally in diameter to the end portion 30e of the latch actuating projection and having opposite grooves 37' and 38 conforming in size and shapel to the wings 30a and`30b.

The latch actuating projection 30v is rotatable through an angler of by means of the key operated lock 28. When in locked position (Fig. 5) the Wing portions 30a and 30h extend' transversely of the elongated aperture in the abutment member 35l so that inward pressure on the push button actuatingv portion 25 is ineffective to unl'atch the door, the abutment member 3'5- blocking longitudinal movement of the latch actuating projection. When the key is turned to rotate the actuating projection through an angle of 90 from itslocked' terminal position of Fig. 5 toits unlocked terminal positionY of Figs. 3 andl 4, the actuating projection is permitted to move longitudinally as shown in broken lines in Fig. 1 when the push button por tion 25 is pushed inwardly, the wings 30a and 30h passing through the elongated aperture in the abutment member 35 and the end 30C of the latch actuating projection against the latch releasing member 31. When the push button 25 is released the spring 34 retracts the parts longitudinally to the position shown in solid lines in Fig. l.

While I have shown and described one embodiment of my invention, it is subject to many modifications.

Changes, therefore, in the construction and arrangement may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A push-button door lock of the character described comprising a door handle having a body portion defining a shouldered bore within said body portion having an inwardly facing opening and a smaller outwardly facing opening, a push-button assembly movably mounted within said bore and having a portion seating against said shoulder to limit outward movement of said assembly in the bore and prevent Withdrawal of said assembly from outside the door, a separate latch actuating projection supported by said assembly and extending longitudinally inwardly in said bore, said projection having oppositely disposed wings providing shoulders on opposite sides of said projection, locking means in said assembly for moving said projection to various positions including a terminal unlocking position, an abutment member movably disposed within said bore, removable means within said bore to limit movement of said abutment member, means spacing said abutment member relative to said push-button assembly and seating said push-button portion on said shoulder portion, said abutment member having a central aperture conforming generally to the shape of said latch actuating projection and having oppositely disposed grooves conforming generally to the shape of said wings, said aperture and grooves permitting longitudinal movement of said latch actuating projection when said projection is moved to said terminal unlocked position and blocking longitudinal movement by abutment against the shoulders on said wings when said projection is in any other position.

2. A push-button door lock of the character described comprising a door handle having a body portion defining a shouldered bore within said body portion having an inwardly faciny opening and a smaller outwardly facing opening, a push-button assembly slidably mounted within said bore and having a portion seating against said shoulder to limit outward movement of said assembly in the bore and prevent withdrawal of said assembly from outside the door, a separate latch actuating projection supported by said assembly and extending longitudinally inwardly in said bore, said projection having a portion thereof formed into oppositely disposed wings providing shoulders on opposite sides of said projection, locking means in said bore for rotating said projection through an arc between various positions including a terminal unlocked position, an abutment member slidably disposed within said bore, removable means within said bore to limit movement of said abutment member, spring means spacing said abutment member relative to said push-button assembly and seating said push-button portion on said shoulder portion, said abutment member having a central aperture and oppositely disposed grooves conforming generally to the cross-sectional shape of said latch actuating projection at said winged portion thereof, said aperture and grooves permitting longitudinal movement of said latch actuating projection when said projection is moved to said terminal unlocked position and blocking said longitudinal movement by abutment of said shoulders yagainst said abutment member when said projection is in any other position.

3. A push-button door lock of the character described comprising a door handle having a body portion defining f a shouldered bore within said body portion having an inwardly facing opening and a smaller outwardly facing opening, a push-button assembly slidably mounted within said bore and having a portion seating against said shoulder to limit outward movement of said assembly in the bore and prevent withdrawal of said assembly from outside the door, a separate latch actuating projection mounted on said assembly and extending longitudinally inwardly in said bore, said projection having its inner portion formed into oppositely disposed wings providing shoulders on opposite sides of said projection, locking means in said assembly for rotating said projection through an arc to locked and unlocked terminal positions, a cup-shaped abutment member slidably disposed within said bore, readily removable means within said bore to limit movement of said abutment member, spring means normally holding said abutment member against said removable means and seating said push-button portion on said shoulder portion, said abutment member having a central aperture and oppositely disposed grooves conforming generally to the cross-sectional shape of said latch actuating projection at said winged portion thereof, said aperture and grooves permitting longitudinal movement of said latch actuating projection and said wings therethrough when said projection is rotated to said terminal unlocked position and blocking longitudinal movement by abutment of said shoulders on said wings against said abutment member when said projection is in said locked position.

4. A push-button door lock of the character described comprising a door handle having a body portion defining a shouldered bore within said body portion having an inwardly facing opening and a smaller outwardly facing opening, a push-button assembly slidably mounted within said bore and having a portion fitting against said shoulder to limit outward movement of said assembly in the bore and prevent withdrawal of said assembly from outside the door, a separate latch actuating projection mounted on said assembly and extending longitudinally inwardly in said bore, said projection having its inner portion formed into oppositely disposed wings providing shoulders on opposite sides of said projection, locking means in said assembly for rotating said projection through an arc to locked and unlocked terminal positions, a cup-shaped abutment member slidably disposed within said bore, a removable split ring seated in a groove in said bore to limit sliding movement of said abutment member, a compres4 sion spring in said bore holding said abutment member against said split ring and seating said push-button portion on said shoulder portion, said abutment member having a central aperture and oppositely disposed radial grooves around said aperture conforming generally to the crosssectional shape of said latch actuating projection at said winged portieri thereof, said aperture and grooves permitting longitudinal movement of said latch projection and said wings therethrough when said projection is rotated to said terminal unlocked position and blocking longitudinal movement of said latch projection by abutment of said shoulders on said wings against said abutment member when said projection is in said locked position.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 962,448 Miller June 28, 1910 2,313,712 Jacobi Mar. 9, 1943 2,468,644 Springer Apr. 26, 1949 2,605,630 Keller Aug. 5, 1952 2,660,046 Jacobi Nov. 24, 1953 

